You know, as a STAR WARS Action Figure customizer, I get asked all the time why I have a preference for non scene-specific action figures.

Well, this latest offering of Han Solo in Torture Rack demonstrates exactly why. Scene-specific action figures almost always turn out to be un-attractive. Call me “old-school”, but in MY view, a neutral, non-scene specific action figure will ALWAYS be more attractive-looking than one with an odd grimace of pain sculpted onto its face, or mussed hair (like this one has). The Torture Rack itself looks GREAT, and Han’s SA arms seem okay… but that’s about it, I’m afraid.

During his appearance in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980, Han Solo was the object of many women’s desires. And it was partially because he did NOT look anything like this action figure.

I KNOW I’m not the only one that feels this way about this action figure. Judging by the number of collectors who have stated that they want to see the “definitive version” of Bespin Han Solo, I’d say I have a LOT of company on this issue.

Long before Hasbro showed photos of this figure, they stated that it would basically be a “kit-bashed” effort with a new head sculpt. And that was exactly what we got. But certainly a better collection of existing Han Solo body parts could have been used to create this figure.

As an Action Figure customizer, I know a little something about kit-bashing, and this collection of parts is NOT what I would have used.

The new SA arms seem fine, but everything else seems mis-matched and thrown together.. not to mention anatomically incorrect. Han’s hips are FAR too narrow here! There has been a tendency by Hasbro as of late to make Han Solo somewhat ANOREXIC looking with an overly small head. This trend began as far back as the VOTC Han Solo and has stuck ever since. And the strained tendons sculpted into this action figure’s throat don’t exactly help matters.

Furthermore, the decision to use the bulky ill-fitting “life-preserver” vest from VSC Endor Han Solo was another mis-step that only serves to make the figure appear top-heavy and accentuates how wrong those narrow hips and skinny thighs are for this character.

Look, I hate to sound like some whinny brat who is throwing a tantrum for not getting his action figures exactly the way he wants from Hasbro. And I have tried to avoid giving this post a hateful/spiteful tone. This is all simply an observation… just me (as a Hasbro product consumer) doing my part to ensure that we get better and better figures. And by and large, Hasbro HAS given us exactly that! Their STAR WARS product offerings during this 30th Anniversarry year have been stellar, I must say.

But this Torture Rack Han Solo figure was a “swing and a miss” by a long shot. I know some collectors say that they don't mind this figure's appearance because they intend to leave him strapped to the torture rack and that he looks fine in there. But I believe that an action figure SHOULD look good in OR out of a packed-in accessory. Certainly, he should be anatomically correct.

I have been updating my own custom “definitive Bespin Han Solo” figure for quite some time. And I think that I will certainly prove that better existing parts could have been used to kit-bash together a nicer looking figure than what we’ve been given here.

Ironically, I am just waiting to get my hands on this Han Solo in Torture Rack figure so that I can use his arms, and my custom will be complete. And of course, that excellent torture rack alone makes the price of this figure MORE than worth it.

Using Photoshop, I’ve put together a preview of what I’m cooking up with my custom. I did not bother to color-correct everything and make sure that all colors match with each other, but I think you get my intention...

Oh great, another "Wah! This figure is a POS!" thread. Wouldn't this be more suitable at the RS 30AC boards?

I don't believe I called this figure a "POS". If you read my original post again, you'll see that I was very careful to point out that (by and large) I think Hasbro is doing an AWESOME job on their products this year. I just think that this figure was a swing and a miss. What's wrong with expressing my opinion on the matter? That IS what these boards are for.

Furthermore, why is posting my opinion MORE suitable over at the rebelescum 30AC board than it is to post it on the 30th AC board on this one? That makes absolutely NO sense.

What's worse is that this same post, word for word, has gone up at a number of other sites. Spamming sites with complaints? Come on.

And what EXACTLY is your point? Yes I DID “spam” this topic on several other boards as you suggest to give it as much visibility as possible. As a Hasbro consumer and collector of their STAR WARS product, it is my right to do so.

Were those other boards that you mention somehow not STAR WARS toy collectible related? Was this post somehow inappropriate to those other boards or to this one?

It’s reactions like yours that DO NOT help us getter better products from Hasbro. Perhaps we no longer have to endure muscle-bound pre-posed Han Solo's (from the POTF II days) because guys like ME were stubborn enough to post their opinion in as many different places as they could (word for word) to make sure that as many people as possible (even Hasbro designers) were made aware of our concerns.

If you look through my posts history at any of those sites that you refer to (or this one), you'll see that I am far more GENEROUS with my PRAISE of Hasbro's products than I am of my critiques.

I'm with you Darklord, it is a pretty craptastic figure. Actually it's the same idea as the Moisture Vaporator with Luke accessory, that Luke sucks. The moisture vaporator is pretty sweet though.

I would have harped on this Han more for being poor, but the 30 AC has brought so much coolness that I'm willing to overlook a few swing and misses like you said.

I almost had a fit when I saw the first trickles of 30 AC came to light late last year, and it was the Order 66 packs. I saw that stunted Mace, a rainbow Gree, a Utapau AT-RT driver that didn't exist in the films, and I thought that's what Hasbro had in store for me this year. And I went off.

Point being, damn, I want almost all of it, but I do not want to spend all this money! I guess what I'm saying, when a Han Bespin figure that looks as retarded as this one does comes along, it's a welcome reprieve for me and my wallet because this spending **** is totally out of control this year.

I would have harped on this Han more for being poor, but the 30 AC has brought so much coolness that I'm willing to overlook a few swing and misses like you said.

Very well said! I'd say 95% of the stuff that Hasbro has released this 30th Anniversarry year simply ROCKS!!!! The action figure character choices have been incredible, the articulations better than ever, and the sculpts have been GORGEOUS!

Quite possibly my ALL TIME FAVORITE Imperial figures have been released this year in the form of Tantive IV Stormtrooper and VTAC Snowtrooper. I own literally hundreds of each. THAT'S how much I support Hasbro!

Point being, damn, I want almost all of it, but I do not want to spend all this money! I guess what I'm saying, when a Han Bespin figure that looks as retarded as this one does comes along, it's a welcome reprieve for me and my wallet because this spending **** is totally out of control this year.

I hear you, buddy. As an army builder, customizer, AND squadron-builder, this has been a MOST expensive year for me too! But Honestly, I'm quite Happy to give Hasbro my cash. The amount of happiness they bring me with their awesome products make it all so worth it.

What's worse is that this same post, word for word, has gone up at a number of other sites. Spamming sites with complaints? Come on.

Totally unfair. Some At RS will post something that says ' this fig SUCKS.' but this thread was started with a lot of thought! Some of you cannot handle criticism!

To be fair, when I have posted something long and heartfelt, I have cut and paste my own subject to more than one board. How the heck does that equal spamming? It doesn't!!! Spaming implies there is nothing to say. That is NOT the case with this thread! I am so tired of some people jumping down the necks of others for NO REASON!

Because the RS 30AC boards are filled with whiners and threads much like this one.

There's nothing whiny about his post at all. It's a good discussion with logical reasons for his opinion. At RS, you've got a bunch of kids calling the company "Hasblow" and other unnecessary names. It's ok to disagree with others; it doesn't make a figure less appealing to you if you like it and somebody else doesn't.

I'm going to step in and say this topic is perfectly valid conversation about the figure... It's not "whiney", it's just an expression of a point of view on the line and one figure in particular is the focus of it.

Start talking guys, but stop criticizing the thread and each other.

And on that note...

I personally disagree with the general disregard for the figure... I think as an action figure, it is weak in that it's "scene specific", but let's face facts here, it's pretty likely a SA Han Bespin IS coming out at some point. So I don't see it as a figure to get your panties in a twist over... If anything, I think when we get that SA Bespin Han we'll appreciate this figure much, much more.

I liken it to this; In 2002 we got Shaak Ti... THAT is a ****** toy/action figure. It's a nifty statue, for one moment in time in a film, but it's a ****** toy. Essentially it's a miniature "Unleashed" figure, right? But flash forward to 2005... Don't you appreciate 2002 Shaak Ti more knowing that in your collection is a bitchin' posed 2002 Shaak Ti that, at the time, kinda sucked, but now looks cool with the other dynamically posed Jedi from that era?

I can't say I grew an affinity for the 2002 figures, and I certainly am a champion of articulation galore on figures, but I can say that I appreciate my 2002 Jedi more after getting great versions of them in 2005. A good example of what I didn't gain appreciation for is Barriss Offee, as she never got an update and deseprately needs it!

Now, my point is that this figure is definitely scene specific... But it's a cool scene. So, sure i want my SA Bespin Han, but ultimately I know we'll get that SA Bespin Han (Barris, I'm not so sure about), so I really kinda dig this tortured, scene specific, Bespin Han... and his cool accessory.

Hope that clarifies my opinion on why I don't think the figure's quite that bad.

Furthermore, why is posting my opinion MORE suitable over at the rebelescum 30AC board than it is to post it on the 30th AC board on this one? That makes absolutely NO sense.

Because the RS 30AC boards are filled with whiners and threads much like this one.

Well, Reid... I guess THIS board has at least ONE whiner that I can think of, and it sure ain't me. My post was a well thought-out and respectful expression of my opinion on a product that I care immensely about and spend thousands of dollars a year on. It was not, by any stretch of the imagination, "whiny" nor mean-spirited. I think I was (and continue to be) very complimentary and supportive of Hasbro.

YOU, on the other hand, seem incapable of reading an opinion that differs from yours without being disrespectful.

Totally unfair. Some At RS will post something that says ' this fig SUCKS.' but this thread was started with a lot of thought! Some of you cannot handle criticism!

To be fair, when I have posted something long and heartfelt, I have cut and paste my own subject to more than one board. How the heck does that equal spamming? It doesn't!!! Spaming implies there is nothing to say. That is NOT the case with this thread! I am so tired of some people jumping down the necks of others for NO REASON!

There's nothing whiny about his post at all. It's a good discussion with logical reasons for his opinion. At RS, you've got a bunch of kids calling the company "Hasblow" and other unnecessary names. It's ok to disagree with others; it doesn't make a figure less appealing to you if you like it and somebody else doesn't.

Thanks a million for your support, guys. Thanks for understanding the intention and true spirit of my post. You guys have always been great friends and true gentlemen.

I think the central point and purpose of this figure has truly been lost in this discussion. I think this thread has been barking up the wrong tree the whole time. Design by it's nature has a purpose. And it is very clear to me that this figure was NEVER designed to be a definitive Bespin Han Solo. I think that's blatantly obvious from looking at the figure. This figure was DESIGNED to be scene specific. It is MEANT to depict Han Solo in the torture scene on Cloud City. It is from a crucial scene in The Empire Strikes Back as Vader is torturing Han to draw out Luke Skywalker.

What are the dead giveaways about that?-Lack of a gunbelt & weapon. At every point prior in the movie where Han Solo is in this costume, he has a gunbelt and blaster. But it IS accurate to the torture scene as well as the scuffle scene from the holding cell.-Strained look on the face. Again, that's scene specific to the torture scene.-Appearance of the torso/upper body. It looks as though he's restrained, and the body sculpt represents the state of tension that would cause.

So is there anything wrong with scene specificity? Absolutely not. If the piece is well designed and represents the scene well, what is wrong with that? Nothing.

The issue then lies with the collector and whether or not they like a given piece. If you don't think that much of this scene in TESB, the figure, or Han Solo as a character, then perhaps you vote with your dollars and tell Hasbro thanks, but no thanks. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the concept of free will and choice in the entire phenomenon of collecting, and take some responsibility for what we'll buy and what we won't. So if you don't care for something that's scene specific, you don't need to buy one.

So what about an ultimate version of Bespin Han Solo? It's just not out yet. The POTJ version has served collectors well for some time despite limited articulation by today's standards. And Hasbro is putting that figure back in circulation with the upcoming Cloud City battle pack. But a modern redux of Han Solo in Bespin gear? We'll get one eventually. Perhaps when/if the Vintage line comes back from it's hiatus. After all, there are only two more Han Solo's to remake from the vintage lines, and Bespin Han is one of them. But this Han Solo figure is not meant to fill that role. Of that I am totally certain.

« Last Edit: September 30, 2007, 04:27 AM by Nicklab »

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